When he received word of Technomancer Ahkaros, Belisarius Cawl immediately took a ship to Tisiphone.
There was nothing to stop him from doing so. In the treaty with the Stormlord, military forces of the Imperium and specifically the Inquisition were not allowed in his territory except with express permission. At first the Mechanicus had also been on the banned list, but Guilliman had pointed out, truthfully, that they often functioned as traders. So instead, the Mechanicus were banned only from certain worlds… planets given the classification of Marked. That was a very vague word, but that was deliberate… those words were marked for something important but that could be anything.
The Stormlord would update that list as things changed, which meant it behooved Cawl to go to Tisiphone immediately. It would likely get entered into that list as a priceless military resource. Not to mention that Ahkaros was almost certain to leave as the Sautekh began to annoy him.
The reason Cawl was sparing his time for this trip was simple. The Pharos. Cawl had plenty of data on them and had found another that was largely intact but offline, the C'Tan shard that had powered it escaped from confinement. Cawl wanted to learn to build them, to possibly create a network of them and so allow the Emperor to leave the Golden Throne. The other problem would be sealing the gate to Chaos behind the Golden Throne, but if the issue of the Astronomican and interstellar travel could be solved, they were one step closer. Also, even if the Emperor could not leave the Throne, they could decommission the Astronomican and hopefully lower the sacrifices of psykers. Belisarius Cawl wasn't one to feel a great deal of compassion for others, but the Emperor seemed to require more sacrifices every year. Would a time come when they simply could not meet the demands?
Technomancer Ahkaros might be able to give him insight into the working of the Pharos. Of course, Cawl wasn't sure what he would want for this information so he'd brought a nice supply of transpositanium, collected by the Mechanicus. Hopefully that would be enough. Cawl was taking Alpha Primus with him for protection… a Technomancer of Ahkaros ability would have many terrible weapons and he'd taken note of Bergheim's feelings on the matter. Cawl had no doubt that Ahkaros could and would use violence.
Cawl went down the same mineshaft Bergheim had traversed, and found the same door. The puzzle there had indeed been changed to something more complicated and Cawl regarded it with interest. It wasn't difficult, really, but he loved puzzles like this. After roughly fifteen minutes of work, Cawl cracked the puzzle and moved the pieces to the correct positions. He needed no second try, as the door opened, revealing the green light behind.
Cawl paused to examine the underground world. He HAD seen Necron Tomb Worlds before and he recognized this as a miniature version. He also picked up on exactly what Bergheim had… it was too large for the available space. Some form of pocket dimension must have been used and Cawl was keenly aware that he was in the presence of technology more advanced than anything humanity laid claim to.
His silent bodyguard trailing behind, Cawl made his way to the central structure. The statues were interesting but he paid them little mind, intent on his true task. Inside Ahkaros sanctum, Cawl paused a moment to examine things… he could appreciate it more than Bergheim. Indeed, on one wall, neatly framed, was the central diagram of the wormhole generator. Other things were framed on the walls, great works that made Cawl's palms itch. He wished he could take them and examine them at his leisure, try to determine what they were for and unlock the great technical mastery behind their making.
In the midst of this scientific glory was Ahkaros, staring fixedly at a cogitator. Cawl slowly moved closer and saw that necron text was moving rapidly over the surface of the cogitator, likely as Ahkaros interfaced directly with the Abominable Intelligence inside.
"You solved my puzzle quickly. You are Belisarius Cawl?" Ahkaros asked, his voice faint and raspy. Cawl sensed he was splitting his attention. Cawl nodded, clasping his hands together.
"Yes. I have been examining the plans for the wormhole generator… your work on it is beautiful, every bit as much as the original parts." It was flattery, but also completely truthful, the best kind of flattery. "I am deeply impressed by your skill."
"Ah, the generator… it was not easy to complete that. We never made such a thing… hard, but wonderful work," Ahkaros said and Cawl nodded, remembering the notes. I love my work. "But you have that now. Did you want my help to understand it? Or do you want something else?" He did not turn his head for a moment, still intent on his work. Cawl took a folder of papers out of his robes and opened it before pulling one particular thing out.
"Do you know what this is?" he asked before offering Ahkaros the picture. There was a sense of annoyance as the runes on the screen paused, the work broken, and Ahkaros forced himself to look. Then he suddenly stopped, his ocular focusing and his body stiffening. He turned fully to face Cawl, his work forgotten.
"A lantern…" Ahkaros gently took the page, holding it with the tips of his fingers and gazing at the image of the Pharos. "Intact. It survived… how…? I thought they were gone," he breathed reverently and Cawl hated to contradict him but…
"I am afraid that one is now destroyed." Ahkaros head snapped up and Cawl felt the weight of infinite wrath. Fortunately, he had a good explanation. "The C'Tan inside it managed to escape." Which was true, although he wasn't telling his own part in that. The light of Ahkaros' ocular dimmed a little and he gently ran a finger over the picture.
"Ah, the C'Tan… you Mon'Keigh did something to free it." …He wasn't admitting to that… "I do not like using the C'Tan. They are a cheat. Need a power source? Why make one, use a C'Tan." Ahkaros made a strange, rattling noise. Was it a laugh, or a snort of disgust? Cawl wasn't sure. "Sloppy. We should leash the energy of stars ourselves. Particularly for this… it is so big, it can hold a proper power source. The smallest things, the weapons, a C'Tan shard makes sense but why for this…" Cawl felt like he was listening to a long-standing pet peeve.
"This one is gone, but I have found another," Cawl said before pulling out some other pictures. Ahkaros took them, looking them over curiously. "This one is not working but intact… it seems that the C'Tan exited in a less violent manner, and it was on an agricultural world." The planet in question was an agri-world, a simple, pastoral paradise that enjoyed a beautifully fertile equatorial band. The Pharos was in the Southern hemisphere in a high, stony plain. Despite how much the planet had changed over sixty millions years, it had remained hidden and safe. The C'Tan had escaped, rendering it inert, but that seemed to be all that was wrong with it.
"I see… I can power it." Ah, that was what he had been hoping for! Although, did that mean? "I will come with you. I will learn this," Ahkaros said and Cawl blinked.
"Oh. You do not have the secrets of this technology?" He asked. He'd thought the greatest Technomancer to live, as every Necron proclaimed him, would already have this knowledge. Ahkaros shook his head.
"No. I am the wrong dynasty. This is Szarekhan technology… I was Ammunos." Ammunos… that name was completely unfamiliar to him. "They are all dead. Only I still live, of my kin." Oh. That would explain why Cawl had never heard of them. "I have already learned much of Szarekhan technology. The great blackstone pillars of the world you call Cadia… I found them. I took them apart and I learned them before putting them back together again." That must have been long before humans had even settled Cadia. Ahkaros gently ran a finger over the picture of the Pharos. "But not this. I thought they were gone, destroyed by time and foolishness. I must learn this…" His ocular was deeply focused on the picture and Cawl could sense his deep hunger, his desire for knowledge. Then Ahkaros looked up, regarding him for a moment before setting the papers aside. "Come."
Ahkaros took him to a different necron cogitator, this one glowing quietly with a pretty image of interlocking geometric designs, moving together slowly. They parted as Ahkaros looked at it and many necron symbols took their place. Ahkaros put a bit of parchment and a pen beside the cogitator before stepping aside.
"Solve this," Ahkaros said and Cawl blinked. He was being tested? But he was up for the challenge and stepped up to the cogitator. The puzzle waiting for him was far more difficult than the one on the door and Cawl immersed himself in it, picking up the pen and working on the paper as he examined the puzzle. He truly did love puzzles like this…
It took him perhaps an hour to finish this puzzle and he offered Ahkaros the solution. He took it and examined it for a moment before nodding.
"Yes, good. Try this one," Ahkaros rasped and a new puzzle came up. Cawl saw it was a step up in complexity than the last and he tackled it with relish.
He solved that as well, but then there was a final puzzle, of surpassing difficulty that Cawl could not solve. But in the end, he puzzled out why, and that was the greatest challenge of all.
"Your equations are wrong. This part causes a fatal inconsistency," Cawl said, gesturing to the screen and tapping one part. "This is not a solvable problem." He could go on forever but he would never find a solution and that made him peevish. Why had he been given a puzzle that could not be solved? Ahkaros made that odd, rattling sound again.
"Yes. This puzzle cannot be solved, and you found why…" Oh. THAT had been the challenge? "Very good. I will take you as an apprentice, for a time." Cawl was electrified at the thought. As incredible as his mastery of technology was, he could learn so much from any Necron Technomancer, let alone the greatest of their kind! "You wish to learn the blackstone… I will teach you, as we travel. Come, let us leave and go to the Pharos." So this had been a test to see if he was worthy of teaching, and he had passed… Cawl made a mental note of it. He rarely took apprentices, but this was a good way to test young neophytes.
When they left the tiny Tomb World, Ahkaros turned to it and held out a hand. Cawl couldn't really see what happened, not because Ahkaros was hiding it, but because it defied any conventional geometry. There was a strange pop, like a tooth being pulled out of the fabric of reality, and the door was gone. In Ahkaros hand was a green cube and then it vanished, put away into some kind of pocket dimension, Cawl assumed. Ahkaros led the way out, walking with a surprisingly quick and spry step. From the way he spoke and his almost dusty appearance, Cawl had thought he would move like an old man. It made him wonder how old Ahkaros had been when he'd taken biotransference.
(Cawl was right to think that Ahkaros had been rather young when he'd walked through the fires. He had only been twenty-eight… yet already recognized as one of the greatest Technomancers to live)
(that was quite an achievement)
When they went to the shuttle, to return to the ship, Sautekh Dynasty necrons saw them. The Warriors had no reaction, of course, but the Immortals showed some confusion and the only Lord present hesitated before bowing deeply. Ahkaros ignored them and Cawl could tell the Lord dearly wanted to ask the Technomancer what he was doing here, but didn't quite dare.
They were challenged after they got back to their ship, though.
Ahkaros, what are you doing here and with the Mechanicus no less? A Sautekh Overlord demanded and Ahkaros made a sound that Cawl though was an irritated sigh.
"I do not answer to you," he rasped and the Overlord's eyes flared, in anger or irritation. "But I will say that I was here long before you came and now I am going. Do you wish to make an issue of it?" The two of them stared at each other for a long moment before the Overlord looked down.
No. As a Luminary not sworn to our Dynasty, you do have that right. But be careful Ahkaros. We do not take well to the loss of strategic resources, the Overlord threatened and Ahkaros nodded impatiently.
"I know. I stopped collecting when you came… we are going now." Ahkaros shut down the communication and looked at Cawl expectantly. He gave the orders and the ship began to move, before sliding smoothly into the Warp. Despite how far they were from the Astonomican, his Navigator was one of the very best so Cawl was confident their travel to the Pharos would be fine. It would be a long trip, though… this Pharos was in the Segmentum Pacificus, across the entire galaxy.
But it would be well worth the trip.
Elsewhere, on Yanta'Kelosh.
It had been a bit over six months since the survivors of Dakka-da had arrived. Nuhkes, the necrons and human auxiliaries had supplied a great deal of assistance… the survivors were provided tents, medical care and gently nursed back to health. Then they were given all the supplies and information they needed to begin taking things into their own hands. There was one major change… in recognition of how weak most of the new Fire Caste were and the danger of the Flesh Rippers, they were now allowed primitive blasters. Not really military grade but sufficient for hunting, they had been warned that if the weapons were abused they would be taken away. Some of the Fire Caste in the original settlement were actually quite disappointed… they were deeply enjoying hunting with spears.
Ko'Shoka gently played with the young child rescued from Dakka-da. His lost eye was sealed, the infection gone and his other eye was clear and healthy. How old was he? His mother had lost track of time, but they believed he was roughly eight years of age. He was much smaller thanks to starvation, but already back to growing with plenty of food.
"Whas at?" he lisped, his speech a little strange thanks to his tongue. The Earth Caste had decided to perform the amputation themselves, still preserving most of the structure but removing the ragged, damaged end. Children healed so well… Ko'Shoka was honestly astonished that he was able to speak without pain so quickly. Ko'Shoka turned to look at what the child had spotted and blinked.
"A shuttle?" It was coming in for a landing at the designated spot, far enough away from the cattle to not frighten them. "That almost looks like…" Ko'Shoka actually thought it looked like a tau shuttle. Was he hallucinating? But it didn't look necron or human.
"Go she?" Ko'Shoka nodded, taking the child's hand. He was named Tor'Vash, after his father. Unfortunately, he had died trying to protect his small family from the orks.
"Yes, we can go see." Ko'Shoka was sure there would be no danger and he wanted to see what was going on.
They walked together to the shuttle and when they arrived, Ko'Shoka immediately saw that the shuttle was definitely of his people, although a rather old design. Still beautifully made and apparently of new manufacture, but the design felt a little dated. The Tau exiting the shuttle wore colors and insignia that he did not recognize and Ko'Shoka came to a quick conclusion. They must be from the 'Farsight Enclaves' Nuhkes had mentioned. But what were they doing here?
Ko'Shoka was intensely relieved when they were greeted warmly and the visitors explained they were here to help them with medical treatments and bionic implants. Apparently the necrons had recently made contact and politely asked for help, which the Enclaves had chosen to grant. Since they were there, Ko'Shoka took the small child to them, quietly mentioning his tongue. The eye too, but implants did not grow as a child aged so it would be better to fix that when he was adult. The tongue could actually be rebuilt.
"Are you his father?" One of them that Ko'Shoka thought was Fire Caste asked. He shook his head.
"No, unfortunately his father has gone on. I am Ko'Shoka, head of the Fire Caste in this settlement," he said and that Fire Caste hesitated before making a gesture for him to come aside. Can we speak privately? Ko'Shoka wasn't sure though and looked down at the child.
"Can I leave you for a moment, Tor'Vash?" he asked and the child nodded. He gently patted the boy on the back before going with the new Fire Caste.
"I am Sha'Vaal. You are Ko'Shoka?" Ko'Shoka nodded, a bit surprised they knew his name. "This colony… are things right here, between you and the necrons?" Ah, so that was why he had not wanted to speak in front of the child. This could distress him.
"We were brought here involuntarily, stolen from the Tau Empire and our deaths faked," Ko'Shoka said after a moment. Sha'Vaal nodded… they both knew this should be considered a crime. And yet. "However, as we both know, there are much worse things in the galaxy and we have been treated well. Our colony is thriving and shows great promise. If I were given the choice, I am not sure I would choose to leave." The path of the Greater Good did not mean choosing your fate, that was the way of the Mont'Au. If he were still within the Tau Empire, Ko'Shoka knew he could easily have been selected to be part of a new colony just like this one and he would gladly have participated. "It is a beautiful world." Ko'Shoka was falling in love with Yanta'Kelosh. The semi-tropical climate, the vast grasslands, the forests and even the Flesh Rippers… this was home.
"I am glad to hear that. There is little we can do but if your people were being mistreated, we would feel obligated to try." Ko'Shoka winced internally at that thought. He knew that this whole area was a staging ground against the orks and always hosted a strong necron fleet presence. If the Tau of the Farsight Enclaves wanted to do something it would have to be surreptitious and still likely go badly for them.
"So you are part of the Farsight Enclaves? We thought Commander Farsight was long dead. What has been happening?" Ko'Shoka asked and Sha'Vaal was more than willing to oblige. He listened with fascination at the adventures of Farsight and felt a deep qualm as he understood these tau had no use for the Tau Empire or the Ethereal Caste. In fact, they seemed to harbor great resentment towards them. Along with what that necron had said to him, so long ago, about a telepath not liking their Ethereals… it made Ko'Shoka wonder. "You do still follow the ideals of the Greater Good?" Ko'Shoka had to ask. Sha'Vaal nodded.
"Of course, that is our way of life. We just believe that we can decide the course of the Greater Good and we do not need the Ethereals to act as priestly caste." Priestly… that made Ko'Shoka uncomfortable, since he did know of human religions and would never say that the Greater Good was one. But was it not an accurate description of the Ethereals, if they were being honest?
As they were talking, others were arriving and Ko'Shoka observed as Tor'Vash's mother came to find her son. She did not cry, but she was very happy when she was told they thought his tongue could be completely rebuilt and as an adult, he would be able to get a prosthetic eye. The new Earth Caste from the Enclaves were brought to the medical centre, a wooden building now, no longer tents. Ko'Shoka felt deeply grateful, to both the necrons and the Farsight Enclaves, that limbs and organs would be replaced.
They had no obligation, but helping each other was the way of the Greater Good.
Sector Governor Udjemka found the Knight World of Scaramy to be a rather fascinating place and was following the progress there with interest.
Scaramy was fairly typical of Knight Worlds. It was largely a jungle planet, fecund and welcoming to the colonists but also infested with horrendous beasts. It was not remotely a Death World, although the equatorial band was virtually uninhabitable, overtaken with incredible trees and riotous vegetation. The jungles thinned as one went father North or South, becoming manageable and accepting of agriculture. As humans tended to do in this situation, the ancient colony ship had been cannibalized to build their Knight Armors to defend them from the aggressive fauna that migrated from the equatorial band.
That had resulted in a society that was intensely conservative in every aspect. Before the re-souling operations and the entry of the Hopian humans into the Sautekh Empire, Udjemka had accepted it without much question. Now, however, she had become curious and done a bit of investigation to understand why the societies involved were so different.
It all came down to the Knight Armors. Udjemka did not believe in 'machine spirits', that was errant nonsense. However, humans were a naturally psychic race and when Knight Armors were used, they melted their minds into them, making them an extension of their bodies. Was it beyond possibility that after a long period of use, a psychic imprint was left behind on the basic AI that was the Knight Armor? And then when they were passed down, generation to generation, that imprint could be enhanced to the point that the Armor almost developed a soul? That was Udjemka's theory, at least. The Knight Houses did not allow examination of their Armors, considering them both family members and sacred objects.
That theory would explain why it was not the same for Hope, though. Until recently, their Knight Armors had not survived longer than a single use. Did it mean that in the future, this dynamic would start to emerge there as Knight Armors became long term possessions, handed down in families? Perhaps, but it was unlikely to influence scientific progress. Scientific advancement was an ingrained value in the Hopian culture now, influenced by the titanic project to advance them to full Terran standard. Given the rising power of the scientific class and the necessities of war, that was very unlikely to change.
Now, however, Scaramy was being forced to embrace change. Deep in the jungles, in unexplored locations, were great deposits of precious metals. Fine emeralds had already been unearthed and Udjemka had a bracelet of gold set with one of them, a gift from the Planetary Governor. Also rich deposits of enderrium had been found, which the necrons could modify and use in gauss flayer production. Not to mention a wide variety of other minerals and ores that would be valuable, both for military purposes and trade.
The mineral deposits were so extensive that Udjemka wondered how the Imperium hadn't noticed, but the insular nature of Knight Worlds had likely prevented exploration. Along with the native fauna, who seemed to find necrons confusing. One rather amusing report from a Lord had mentioned watching one of his Warriors being gummed and spat out before a rather disappointed carnivore wandered away. From the way it had acted, it had already suspected the necron was not edible and was just confirming its' suspicions.
That Lord had been running a defoliation campaign in the area with the deposits of enderrium. The necrons had chosen to simply obliterate the vegetation there, scorching it and rendering the land above the ore infertile for a very, very long time. That was fine, the mining operation would be open pit and damage the land anyway. Not to mention that clearing the vegetation would keep the beasts at least a bit away.
This explained why they had chosen to bring another new STC to Scaramy. It was the best way to advance them rapidly and these humans actually remembered their first STC, that had helped them make the Knight Armors. That was very helpful, as they were willing to listen to the powerful AI as it gently instructed them on what to do and encouraged them to open their minds.
All of this meant that Udjemka was paying a great deal of attention to this planet and knew that the Planetary Governor was a genuine incompetent. A very pleasant man, nice to talk to, he knew virtually nothing. His wife handled the vast majority of the work, letting her husband be the figurehead. It was a symbiotic relationship… Udjemka had spoken to his wife many times and while she'd been on her best behavior, Udjemka had formed the impression of an abrasive arrogance that rivaled Orikan. Technically, it was her sex that prevented her from being Planetary Governor in her own name, but there was more to it than that… Udjemka had watched many interactions and knew the entire planet cordially despised her. Her husband was necessary to be the kindly, likeable face while she was the brain behind him.
Udjemka had Qarenna by her side now and was teaching her the art of handling the humans. There was a great deal of quibbling with one Noble family, who did not want a refinery on their lands. Udjemka had to patiently work with them to fully understand their concerns… they were not upfront with it, coming up with various things that Udjemka sensed were excuses. The ultimate concern was an issue of pollution. They were deeply concerned that the refinery would impact their ancestral hunting grounds, but they thought Udjemka would not look upon that concern with favor, so they had been inventing things they thought she would like better. Udjemka handled it by assuring them they would use necron technology to scrub the emissions and also construct high smokestacks, to spread what little pollution existed over a wider distance. They were dubious but finally assented.
Afterwards, Qarenna had some questions.
"Mother, I don't understand… the humans are slaves. Why do we not simply tell them what to do?" Qarenna asked diffidently. She had very little confidence in herself, but then, she had never really been trained for this, unlike her brothers. Udjemka felt a faint ache at the thought… her boys were both dead, one as a necrontyr and the other as a necron, but both had perished in the War in Heaven.
"Can you tell me how our human slaves differ from our necrontyr ones?" Udjemka asked, wanting to make Qarenna think. Her daughter did that, pondering the question.
"We don't sacrifice them to the Star Gods," Qarenna finally said and Udjemka nodded, pleased. "So they live so much longer… is that what you mean, mother?"
"Yes and also, we do not have a strong presence in most of these worlds." That was completely different than the ancient necrontyr. In those days, the commoners and lords always vastly outnumbered the slaves, making their cooperation irrelevant. "We can force them to simply bend to our will and if they were being intransigent for no reason, I would do so. Or if this world only held one resource, I might also choose that method… but this world is rich with many resources and we wish the humans to handle everything. To do that efficiently needs their compliance." If Udjemka simply ordered these humans to do things exactly as she wished, she was sure they would find many, many ways to rebel against her. Knight Worlds disliked change at the best of times, if the Noble houses were passively rebelling against her they could be an incredible nuisance. Or worse yet, an active rebellion… the humans had their ancient weapons, they would ultimately be doomed but they could cause problems.
"They're not really slaves then, are they?" Qarenna asked and Udjemka thought about that for a moment. No… she wouldn't agree with that.
"They are slaves in that they exist for our pleasure and we may do as we please with them. If we choose not to do so, that is a choice." Commoners had certain rights. Udjemka knew quite well that in the times of the ancient necrontyr, the nobility had often violated them. Yet that could have consequences. There were no such rules for slaves. "There is some talk that soon, the pleasure caste might be revitalized," she said, wondering if she should mention this. But the Mephrit Dynasty had traded Trazyn the schematics for that change and he'd shared it with Sautekh, claiming that he thought it should be common heritage. An interesting choice, but Udjemka had heard it was really very elegant work… the engrams needed to re-activate their pleasures were quite detailed. Also, they included limiters so if you… grabbed… strength would be automatically downgraded to non-damaging levels.
"There is no female version," Qarenna said and Udjemka sighed internally. That was a big problem with the current designs. They had been meant purely for the Phaeron of Mephrit. "But are you saying that our males might take female humans as pleasure slaves?"
"Perhaps." Udjemka thought it was actually quite likely. The idea took a bit of getting used to, but remembering the past meant many of them missed old pleasures. These mechanical bodies were wonderful in many ways, but woefully deficient in that area. "If so, they should take them from cultures where that is an acceptable thing." Knight worlds like this one were absolutely out of the question. Humans also practiced slavery, though, so Udjemka was sure suitable females could be found.
"Well, I just hope they make a female variant soon," Qarenna said, making glyphs for mild irritation. Udjemka didn't say it, but she didn't feel the same way… likely because of her long life as a fully aware necron, she found the idea of touching any organic that way repulsive. The idea of embracing another necron was more palatable, but still rather odd. Strangely enough, the first male her thoughts went to was Imotekh. He was so powerful, the thought of surrendering herself to him was alluring.
(Udjemka couldn't know, but she had admired Imotekh in life as well and been rather wistful that their paths could never cross that way)
"Do you have someone in mind?" Udjemka suddenly asked. She hadn't really noticed Qarenna looking at anyone, necron or human, with that kind of interest. Her daughter was silent for a moment.
"No, I… just want to feel female again." Oh. Udjemka felt a kind of wistful sadness at the thought… for her, true femininity had died a long time ago. Qarenna had already reclaimed it in a way – just like Anhomqena, she had been completely remodeled, although she had chosen a slender, gently feminine body of silver and pink – but she wanted more. Udjemka wondered though. Would she like her genitals back to just feel like a female again?
"Perhaps I will as well," she finally said. Just because she had them didn't mean she had to use them. As she thought that, though, Udjemka's thoughts strayed to Imotekh again. She doubted he would find soft flesh interesting, now. Would he perhaps…? Ah, it was unlikely.
Still, perhaps she could see.
Excerpted from the personal diary of Inquisitor Bergheim. This conversation was recorded and then transcribed. The information in it was also passed directly to the Mechanicus, via a trusted proxy but not directly given directly to the Ordo Xenos.
That is a truly interesting question, and one I have given much thought to. Normally I would not grant lesser races such insight but in truth, this touches upon one of my great passions. So very well, I will speak of it.
You have noticed the strange incongruent technology levels depicted in the holo-drama of the ancient necrontyr. In one scene they are using great Canoptek machines, in another slaves are pulling blocks of stone by hard, manual labor. I assure you, that is accurate.
The ancient necrontyr had terribly short lives. Thirty was middle aged, forty was old, and fifty was ancient. So, roughly half the lifespan of you humans. And so many, so many were cut down in the prime of their lives, stricken by illness. So many children dying. I am told the average lifespan of my species was only twenty-three. As I am now, it is hard to even imagine. You can see how we accepted this poisonous fruit of technology the C'Tan offered.
But that aside, minds among the necrontyr who could learn our technology were rare. Largely found among the nobility, who were considered innately more intelligent and superior than the masses, the training of young minds was done partly via mechanical aides. Similar to the way your tech priests are infused with knowledge, young necrontyr with bright minds would be taught the vast majority of our technical knowledge by the age of fifteen. Not merely how to use the technology, but how to truly understand it, from the inside out. It is also worth noting that truly brilliant minds among the commoners would often be noticed and plucked out, and they were sometimes among the greatest of luminaries.
However, that left the vast majority of the necrontyr, who could not understand our technology and could only use it. What were we to do with them? What were we to do with the masses of common necrontyr, the trillions of teeming lives who lived and died in relative ignorance?
Our endless conflicts always drew them off, into the military and service. The military caste was always highly in demand and at any moment, other castes could be conscripted. Yet, that was not enough. The only way to keep our peasants occupied was to limit their technology, to force them to do things by hand. Inefficient? Oh yes and sometimes, that would bite us, particularly the fools who limited technology in agriculture. All Dynasties handled this a bit differently, you see.
You humans have an expression, I am told. "Cruel to be kind." That is how I see what we did to the commoners. Yes, we were very cruel to them, forcing them into endless labor. Yet, it gave them a purpose to life. They had goals and targets, hopes and dreams. We could have given them all our technology, created a great paradise of leisure and pleasure, but then what? For the answer to that, I point you directly to the aeldari empire. That is the perfect example of what comes of that. And for the ancient necrontyr, it would have been infinitely worse… the aeldari are long lived and it took millions of years for their empire to rot out. For us, with our short lives, I believe we would have rotted away in a mere thousand years. Luxury would have killed us.
I believe you humans, with your great Terran Empire, were just on the cusp of reaching that stage. That beautiful wormhole technology… imagine if the eldar's foolishness had not interrupted you. Imagine if that went into use, and your empire became a great and shining thing, connected with wormhole portals. Where would you have gone next, except the soft, rotten decline? Perhaps you would have found a way to manage it as we did, or perhaps not. The aeldari often say they think you humans are following in their footsteps. I think they are right, but for one thing.
The galaxy lies in ruins and the endless war has no patience for such softness. The eldar fell when they were in complete peace, all challenges conquered. What we face is a cauldron of seething war as terrible as the War in Heaven itself. Perhaps, in fifty thousand years, or even a million, you humans will have to worry about decadence and decline. It is a long way off. For now, this possibility can be dismissed. But ultimately, this is my answer to you: We artificially limited the technology our commoners had access to, in an effort to sustain our society and way of life.
Cruel to be kind, indeed.